Party member Reece Edmonds makes a lively speech in favour of the motion scrapping Trident, quoting Shakespeare and Labour politician Aneurin Bevan, once a shadow foreign secretary. He says Bevan complained in the 1950s about Labour threatening to support unilateral nuclear disarmament. Mr Edmonds quotes Bevan saying: "they will send me naked into the conference chamber". But, he adds, amendment one - calling for an 18-month policy review - would send Tim Farron "naked into the Andrew Marr show".

David Grace, a Lib Dem member from Cambridge, says Trident is "worse than useless" and the party should have "the guts" to vote against it in its entirety. Every penny spent on Trident, he suggests, means fewer resources for conventional forces, for equipment and for soldiers. Citing some of the arguments being put forward for not scrapping Trident, he says it would leave the party agreeing with Labour's new leader. "Jeremy Corbyn cannot have a veto over Lib Dem policy," he says.

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Stephen Hammond is asked what he thinks the former Tory treasurer's motivations were? He tells the BBC he assumes Lord Ashcroft hoped to produced a "serious" biography, but some of the extracts being serialised in the Daily Mail "would lead you to believe that it's not going to be as serious as one might have hoped".

Questioned about Lord Ashcroft's allegation that Mr Cameron knew about his non-domiciled tax status earlier than previously thought, Mr Hammond - a former minister -  says "I don't know the answer to that and I don't think anyone does."

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Asked how damaging Lord Ashcrdoft's unauthorised biography on David Cameron is for the prime minister, Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond says he "doesn't think they're that damaging at all".

He says the allegations in it are about events that "may or may not have happened" 20 or 25 years ago. His constituents were more interested in the PM's actions in office, he adds, and says Mr Cameron is "delivering for the whole of the country".

The leader of Liberal Democrats in Scotland, Willie Rennie, is also on his feet again for the nuclear debate. He reminds party members that they cheered when Nick Clegg said Tim Farron should be allowed to lead. 

He says: "There are sound reasons why, on this occasion, you should back Tim and his proposals." 

He reassures the party that all MPs will vote against like-for-like Trident replacement in the Commons. But the Lib Dems needed to have a "credible alternative".

The Trident debate is getting increasingly impassioned with current parliamentarians and former MPs on both sides of the argument. Andrew Wiseman, the party official who is chairing the debate, urges members not to "heckle" people who they disagree with and to remain "good-natured". 

Duncan Hames, who lost his seat at the election, addresses some of his remarks to Kelly-Marie Blundell - who spoke first for the motion scrapping Trident. He says he, too, doesn't fall for the argument that Trident is a deterrent and he says no-one watching the debate would be in any doubt about Lib Dem opposition to nuclear weapons. But he says the motion doesn't tackle the nuclear capability of Russia or China. And he urges conference to support the amendment setting up a working party.

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England's university towns hold the key to the Lib Dems' electoral revival, Simon Hughes has told activists.

The former Lib Dem deputy leader told a packed fringe meeting at the party's annual conference that they were unlikely to regain their status as the UK's third party at the 2020 general election.

He predicted the SNP would continue to dominate Scotland.

He said the party could make progress at by-elections but it had to focus its resources carefully.

More here.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, Kirsty Williams, is back on her feet for the debate on nuclear weapons. She says voting to scrap Trident would put parliamentarians like her "in an impossible position". They need, she argues, a policy that would equip them for the 2020 general election - not one based on a "nine-line motion".

"Why do we want to give the Tories another thing to beat us with?" A challenging question during the nuclear debate from Gerald Vernon-Jackson, a party member in Portsmouth who stood in the last general election. 

He warns that voting for the motion - to scrap Trident - would torpedo Tim Farron's leadership and would "be dangerous for the party and dangerous for the nation".

Liz Lynne, a former MP and MEP, thinks the party needs a defence policy right away, instead of waiting for a policy review by a committee. She is scathing about government plans to renew Trident, saying it's more about Britain's prestige and standing in the world than security.

"Can we honestly say that this is a good way to spend taxpayers' money? I would be the first to say yes, if I really thought it was going to keep us safe." 

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

"Two powerful men need each other, and then one of them becomes more powerful, and doesn't need the other anymore. The understanding which they had comes to break down, recriminations follow, and sometimes, full throttle revenge. But the roots of the embarrassment that has sent social media into overdrive in the last day were laid before Twitter was invented. In fact, the origins of the spectacular parting of ways are fifteen years ago."

Read Laura's thoughts on the background to the row over Lord Ashcroft's biography of David Cameron

Baroness Sue Garden urges Lib Dems to support the amendment setting up a working party on defence policy, stating: "We can't uninvent Trident."

William Wallace speaks for the Lib Dems on foreign affairs in the House of Lords. Whatever the party decides, he'll have the job of explaining it in Parliament. He urges his party to support the party chiefs' amendment to set up a committee on defence policy. He says there are many complex issues to examine and it isn't enough just to say that the Lib Dems don't want Trident.

There's a bold speech from Tessa Munt, former MP for Wells. She says the motion - to scrap a Trident replacement - is a good one that leaves the Lib Dems in a "completely clear position". She adds: "You can't nuke a terrorist."

Image source, PA

The Lib Dem debate on Trident is seen as something of a test for the party's new leader, Tim Farron. The motion says plans to renew the Trident weapons system should be scrapped. But Mr Farron is urging Lib Dems to vote for an amendment rejecting a like-for-like replacement for Trident. The amendment also says a committee should be established to consider the party's policy on a nuclear deterrent. Making the case for the amendment, Baroness Jolly, says it's complex issue and the motion would stifle open debate

The Lib Dems' debate on Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system, has started. Kicking things off in robust style is Kelly-Marie Blundell, from Guildford. She declares that there are no arguments for renewing Trident. She says the top three threats are terrorism, climate change and long-term energy security. "Against those threats Trident is less than useless," she argues.